Container for a plurality of vacuum bottles



July 7, 1953 c. BRAMMING 2,644,578

- con'mmm FOR A" PLURALITY OF VACUUM BOTTLES 4 Filed Feb. 3, 1950 22?INVENTOR."

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 7, 1953 CONTAINER FOR A PLURALITY VACUUM BOTTLES CarlBramming, Anderson, Ind., assignor to'Aladdin Industries, Incorporated,Chicago, 111., a.

corporation of Illinois Application February 3, 1950, Serial No. 142,165

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to an improved carrier for a plurality of vacuumbottles.

It is frequently necessary to carry quantities of different foods orbeverages at lower or higher than ambient temperatures and to retainthem at the heated or cooled condition for long periods of time. Effortsto use as many separate vacuum bottles for this purpose lead. tounacceptable inconveniences, particularly the difficulty of handlingmany bottles and the large amount of space taken up by them. However,jugs: are not satisfactory for this purpose because they can only hold asingle food or drink without mixing and because large vacuum jugs areexpensive and exceedingly fragile. Ordinary glass or metal jugs do nothold their contents at elevated or depressed temperatures for longperiods.

In accordance with the present invention, a

plurality of vacuum bottles are carried in an array in a singleprotective carrier. The carrier is arranged so that the food or liquidmay be poured from any selected vacuum bottle. In addition, the carrierdefines a space for storage of straws, silverware, and other accessoriesto be used with the vacuum bottles.

The structure of the present invention is'compact, simple, andinexpensive in construction. Yet it provides a highly effectiveprotective housing for the bottles.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide animproved carrier fora plurality of vacuum bottles.

Another object of the present invention is: to provide an improvedcarrier for a plurality of vacuum bottles that defines a space forstraws other accessories.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcarrier for a plurality of vacuum bottles wherein the food or beveragemay be poured from any one of the bottles at will. I

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcarrier for a plurality of vacuum bottles that is characterized bysimplicity of construction and ease of manufacture and yet effectivelyprotects the bottles against breakage.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my inventionare set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My inventionitself, however, both as to its organization and mode of operation,together" with further features and advantages thereof, may best beunderstood by reference to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is .a top plan view of the bottle car rier of the presentinvention with parts broken away to show the interior structure thereof;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through axis 22, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through axis 33, Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sec tional View through axis44, Figure 1; and,

Figure 4a is a cross-sectional View through axis ic -4a, Figure 4.

As shown in the figures, the vacuum bottle carrier of the presentinvention holds an array of four spaced parallel vacuum bottles arrangedin a square array, the bottles being indicated at Illa, Hlb, i 00, andHid. As seen best in Figure 2, each bottle has substantially cylindricalside walls terminating at its open end in a lip 12. Adjacent each lipI2, the bottle has reduced size to define a side wall or shoulder [4,Figure 2. At its bottom each bottle is closed and carries a tubulation[6 where the glass is sealed after drawing a vacuum. This tubulation isparticularly fragile.

As seen in the broken away portion at the left side of Figure 2, thebottles each have an inner jacket l8 and an outer jacket 28 whichtogether define an enclosed space. The outer wall of the inner jacketand the inner wall of the outer jacket are coated with a reflectivematerial, such as silver, to minimize radiant heat transfer between thejackets. Convection and conductionheat transfer is minimized by drawinga vacuum in the space between the jackets.

The carrier is defined by the outer housing 22 which is of cylindricalshape with a square cross section having rounded edges conforming. tothe space occupied by the bottles. The upper lip 22a of the housing isbent back outwardly upon itself and receives the interfitting edge 24aof the: top

member 2'4.

The member 24 conforms in shape to the crosssection of the housing 22and is securely held thereto by the interfitting edges- Ma and 22a. At2422 this member extends upwardly in registry with the edge of thehousing 22 to define a surface frictionally engaged by the metal cap 26.The top member 24 has a series of circular open. ings 24c, positioned ina square array and each capable of receiving the upper lip I2 of avacuum bottle but incapableof receiving the main body of the bottle.Adjacent each of the openings 240-, the top member 2'4 defines a raisedannular seat 2411 to receive a washer 28 of rubber or like resilientmaterial to cushion the bottle retained in the corresponding opening.Each washer 28 is The ring 39 terminates in an inturne-d lip 391) thatis of square configuration with rounded corners and is capable ofreceiving the bottles lfla, l fib, I 9c and 19d as they are inserted inthe housing 22. 32 which snugly fits therein.

This edge forms a seat for the bottom cap The bottom cap or closure 32defines a wall32a 7 that mates with and snugly fits in the rim-30bofring 30, the limit of movement being fixed by the annular lip 3217.Within the wall 3211, the cap.

32 forms an impervious cover. As seen best in Figures 2 and 3, the cap32 is provided with a plurality of upstanding annular dimples 320. Eachdimple defines a seat for a rubber tube 34 whioh'is in registry with thecorresponding opening Z ic in the top member 24.

The rubber tubes 34 form cushions for the bottoms of the vacuum bottles10a to ltd and, in addition, protect the fragile tubulations 56. Thesetubes hold the bottles in erect positions, since the annular dimples 32cprevent shifting movements of the rubber tubes 34. These tubes are undersome compression when the bottles are in position to hold them snugly inplace.

The bottom cap 32 is secured in position by the hollow post 36 whichextends the length of the carrier between the spaces occupied by thebottles. This tube is held against movement relative to the upper member24 by the annular cap 9.6a which has an outturned lip 35b which abutsthe edge of the hole 246 provided in member 24 to receive the post 36.The cap 36a is welded or otherwise secured to the post 36.

The cap 32 is held to the post 36 by the screw '38 which fits in a holeof appropriate size in the cap 32 and is in threaded engagement with thecap at on the bottom end of the post 36. This cap is welded or otherwisesecured to the post.

The length of the post 36 and the adjustment of screw 38 is chosen toprovide substantial pressure on the tubes 34 and the Washers 28 when theunit is assembled. This assures that each bottle is snugly held inposition and at the same time does not interfere with the cushionedsuspension of each.

In addition to securing the cap 32 in place, the

post defines a lengthy cylindrical space to receive straws, silverwareor other accessories to be used when the contents of the bottles 10a toMid are consumed. 7

Each bottle 59a to ltd is closed by a corkAZ. A cup 14 fits over eachcork and is held in place by the large cap 26 which is in snugfrictional fit with the portion 24b of the member 24. The limit ofdownward movement of the cap 26 is fixed by the rolled rim 26a whichseats against the annular surface defined by the interfitting edges 22aand 24a.

The carrier of the present invention is provided with a handle or bail46 by which it -may be grasped in one hand to pour from any of thevacuum bottles. This bail is of U-shaped configurajacent the opening thehousing is pressed out in an eccentric disk 22d which protrudes out fromthe housing a greater distance below the opening 220 than above toprovide the sloping cross-section shown. in Figure l. This causes thecarrier to assume a vertical position whencarried and holds'the bail inan upright position when released.

- The bail 46 is made of sufficient size to cause the center portionGiib, Figure 1, to reach nearly to the bottom of the carrier. It is thenpossible to grasp the carrier with the thumb over the bail and thefingers under the bottom of the unit and pour from any of the bottles inthe carrier.

The bottles [0a to |0d are further secured in place by the rubber bands48 which are received on the bottles adjacent their lower ends. Thesebands act as spacers between adjacent bottles and between each bottleand the adjacent portion of the housing 22.

In the view of Figure 1 the four bottles are shown in variousconditions. The bottle 10a (seen only by dashed lines) is shown with thecover M in place and the cap 26 broken away to show the cover. Bottle10b is shown with the cap 44 removed and the cork 42 in place. BottleHid is shown with the cork 42 and cap 54 removed. The lower left handopening 240, where the bottle I00 would normally be located, is shownwithout any'bottle at all. I

From the foregoing description it will be evident that I have providedan improved carrier for a plurality of vacuum bottles which retains thebottles snugly in postion while at the same time protecting the sameagainst shock. Moreover, the structure is simple, compact, easy tomanufacture, provides space for accessories, and permits pouring fromany selectedbottle.

'While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention,it will of course be understood that I do not wish to be limited theretoand that by the appended claims I intend to cover all modifications andalternative constructions falling within the true spirit and scope of myinvention.

What I claim as new and desire. to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is: v

1. In combination, a vacuum bottle housing defining a space to receive aplurality of vacuum bottles in parallel array having individual vacuumbottle openings at one end, vacuum bottles received in said openings andeach defining an annular shoulder adjacent its end, a resilient tion asshown in Figure 1 and has inturned toe in which the inturned toe 46a ofthe bail fits. Ad-

washer interposed between each shoulder and the portions of the housingmarginal to the corresponding opening, a detachable cap at the other endof said housing, the housing having an opening between said bottleopenings, a hollow post afiixed to the housing in registry with saidlast opening and extending to said cap, means detachably securing saidcap to said post, a hollow tube of resilient material interposed betweenthe bot tom of each bottle and said cap to protect the fragiletubulation of the bottle, and a band of resilient material surroundingeach bottle and extending to the adjacent portion of the housing.

2. In combination, a vacuum-bottle housing defining a space to receive aplurality of vacuum bottles in parallel array having individualvacuum-bottle openings at one end, vacuum bottles received in saidopenings, each of said bottles having an annular shoulder adjacent itsend, a resilient washer interposed between each shoulder and theportions of the housing marginal to the corresponding opening, adetachable cap at the other end of said housing, a post joined at oneend to the housing between said bottle openings and extending to saidcap, a resilient protective member interposed between the bottom of eachbottle and said cap, to protect the fragile tubulation of the bottle, aband of resilient material surrounding each bottle and extending to theadjacent portion of the housing, and means securing the other end ofsaid post to said cap, said means being adjustable for controlling thecompression of said resilient washers and protective members.

CARL BRAMMING.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 48,319 Stearns June 20, 1865 Number 15 Number Name DateBerg Aug. 15, 1916 Altenberg Feb. 13, 1923 Morey et a1. June 12, 1923Wagner Apr. 19, 1927 Bursitzky Feb. 23, 1937 Goebert Sept. 28, 1937Smith Aug. 13, 1946 Mayer et al. July 22, 1947 Silva Aug. 19, 1947 EideMar. 28, 1950 Arthur Nov. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date NorwayJune 18, 1945 France A112. 28. 1924

